Just For Tonight
by AceLovesAnime
Summary: Just a one-shot for Death Note that I wrote a while back. Kind of back-story, before Kira and all that happened. L almost gets killed in an alley, manages to save himself, then almost has a mental break-down. Queue Watari. {Credit for the Cover Image goes to the appropriate artist.}


_**-L's POV-**_

My back struck the brick wall behind me as violent hands gripped by arms. Deep-set, venomous eyes that seemed to glow glared back at me, and then a slick voice was speaking, "I'm afraid this is the end, Mr. Ryuga—or should I say, Deneuve? Certainly you have a preference." Wet lips brushed against my ear as my assailant spoke, and I felt a shiver of fear travel down my spine.

_Focus yourself, Lawliet._ Watari's voice drifted through my mind. _As long as you stay calm, you can escape any situation._

"You're right," I decided to say, my voice becoming monotone. "Except that I don't have a preference. I am no more Ryuga than I am Deneuve, and I have no idea what you are talking about," I countered against his threat. It would be much easier to convince him that he'd found the wrong person than it would be to convince him to release the world's second greatest detective. Well, greatest, except it didn't sound like he knew I was L as well.

Teeth grazed against my throat, and I bit back a yelp of worry. Clearly he wasn't getting the hint. "Sorry to disappoint you, but you aren't fooling me," his voice came out in a growl, and then the teeth were replaced by the cold touch of a blade.

Luckily, this action had forced him to release one of my arms. "No, you're fooling yourself," I snapped as I turned just slightly to grab the arm that held the knife. Struggling, I managed to make him drop it, and then locked his other wrist in my grasp. Pinning him to the same wall I'd been pressed against, I found the handcuffs that I kept with me, binding him before shoving him to the dusty ground. "Next time, perhaps you'll learn not to cause me trouble," I warned, dropping to my knees to grab the weapon.

It was as I looked down into his anger-striken eyes that something in my mind snapped. Suddenly, I didn't really care about the fact that my indentity had been revealed. Nor did I mind that somebody had just tried to murder me. My only concern was how wonderfully afraid my had-been assailant now looked.

Pressing the tip of the blade I'd stolen from him against his neck, I gave a strangled laugh. It was hard for me to laugh these days. I'd seen victim after victim, and had nearly been one countless of times; it was about time that the tables turned. So easy, it would be for me to drag this over his neck, to end him like he'd wanted to end me—

The glare of a flashlight broke my concentration, cut off any conversation me and my victim may have had, broke the spell that had formed. **"Ryuzaki! Stop!"** Watari's familiar voice shouted as the sound of footsteps grew closer. _Why is there always an alias?_

My hands shook as I flung the blade away from myself, far enough that the bound man couldn't try to grab it. Moonlight lips pressed tightly together, keeping me from saying anything in the shaky voice I knew would have come out. I stayed crouched down as I stumbled away from where he laid, silent in his shock. It seemed like an eternity before I felt my father-figure's hand rest against my shoulder. "L," he whispered, "Lets get out of here. The police can deal with this man." _**L**__ - That's closer, I guess._

"I wanted him to pay," my voice was just loud enough for Watari to here me. Nobody else, not even my assailant, needed to know this bitter truth. "Why did you have to stop me?" I asked him, shaking my head in a hasty effort to clear it.

The older man only sighed as he told me, "You would have regret this later, L. Come now… I'll take you home, back to your apartment." The offer was gentle, but there was enough coaxing behind it to leave out room for argument._ L isn't good enough…_

Forcing my legs to move, I stood up slowly, and then my childish request spewed from my lips, "Can I stay with you at the Orphanage? Just for tonight, Watari?" It had been years since I'd even considered sleeping over at Wammy's House. There wasn't ever a need for it, when I could go home to my own apartment, or sleep over at whatever building I was working in at the time. Yet, right then, I didn't want to be very far from Watari; I wasn't sure what I'd do if I was given that much freedom.

"_Just for tonight_," Watari allowed, but I heard the reluctance in his voice.


End file.
